The Orphanage in San Cristóbal de las Casas in Mexico needs your help! Children who have been separated from their families or are orphaned live in this loving facility. They find a new home, affection and security at the orphanage. But in order to take their lives into their own hands as adults, they need education. You can get involved here and teach the children at the facility. Together with two teachers and other volunteers, you will set up the Educational program for the little ones. You can contribute your own skills and ideas and teach various subjects yourself. Would you like to get a taste of the teaching profession and help where help is really needed? Then become a volunteer in the coolest colonial city in Mexico and support this unique program. Heart project.
The children's aid project operates a Orphanage in the town of San Cristóbal de las Casas. The orphanage offers approx. 24 children at the age of 2 to 16 years a home. The children have often experienced traumatic events, have been separated from their families by the Mexican youth welfare office, have no parents or cannot live with their families due to health or psychological conditions (e.g. children with disabilities).
The orphanage was founded 4 years ago by a couple who wholeheartedly care for the little ones and give them not only a roof over their heads, but also a home. right at home offer. The couple, together with other employees, look after the children all day, provide meals and do the housework. Two teachers and the volunteers dedicate themselves to the Teach. The children do not go to school, but receive their education in the orphanage alone.
Some children are in the orphanage temporarily and can be reunited with their families at some point, while others live in the facility permanently. There they are given a loving care They receive attention, have a safe home and an environment in which they do not have to be afraid.
The Main objective of the facility must ensure that the children are able to School education and complete their studies so that they have a chance of a job and a better life later on.
To change children's lives, they need Education. Education changes the life and future of every person and is the key to a better perspective. This is why the education program is at the heart of our volunteer work.
The facility receives no financial support from the government, but relies on donations and volunteers. So you can make a major contribution and have a direct impact on children's lives. Get involved where your help is needed!
Together with two teachers, the volunteers implement the Educational program in the home. The primary aim is to support the children in their academic development. A large part of the work therefore consists of attention and teaching in the various subjects, but above all: Spanish and mathematics.
The lessons are fully tailored to the age, abilities and needs of the children. Children's needs adapted. Depending on how many children with a similar or different level of knowledge are in the facility, you can teach one child alone or a group of up to 6 children. Some children have never been to school before and are therefore not at the same level of knowledge as other children their age. They need special attention and often one-to-one tuition.
However, the lessons are not only adapted to the children, but also according to your personal skills and interests. You may teach reading, writing and basic math skills to the youngest children, or you may teach English to the older ones.
As a volunteer, you can provide support in these areas:
Motor development for younger children. Children of kindergarten age are supported in developing their motor skills, such as how to hold a pencil and how to use scissors. You teach them the colors and they can practice with playful tasks such as coloring and crafts.
Teaching in different subjectsfor example, reading, writing, math and English for children of different age groups. Using Mexican textbooks, you teach them how to read and write. You teach basic math skills and English for the older children.
Workshops to develop various skills. Your skills and creativity are in demand! The children will be delighted if you offer one or more workshops. Do you play an instrument? Are you artistically talented? Set up your own workshop and teach the kids new skills in a fun way. Whether it's music, dance, art, cooking, handicrafts, theater, sports or English - your ideas are welcome.
Promotion of leisure activities. In addition to learning, it is also very important for the children to exercise. A sporting activity takes place at least once a day.
Collaboration in the Maintenance of a small greenhouse and maintaining the facilities.
As you can see, there are many different areas in which you can support the children. You will learn a lot of new things yourself and improve your language skills in the long term. The orphanage relies on the help of volunteers, as two teachers alone cannot provide the individual education the children need. In return, you will experience a lot of gratitude from the staff, but above all from the children.
Depending on how many volunteers are currently helping at the facility, the working hours are also flexibly adjusted. You will work from Monday to Friday either from 09:00 to 14:00 or from 16:00 to 19:00. You can also stay longer at the orphanage and help in both shifts. The weekend is at your free disposal.
In the highlands of the southernmost Mexican state of Chiapas, at 2100 meters above sea level, lies the picturesque town of San Cristóbal de las Casas. Chiapas is home to many indigenous people, the descendants of the ancient Mayan culture. Colorful colonial-style houses, many churches and cobblestone streets characterize the cityscape. Backpackers from all over the world and many Mayan women stroll through the alleyways selling their handicrafts and wearing traditional clothing. The people here are extremely friendly and helpful, you immediately feel welcome and don't want to leave in a hurry.
A highlight of the city is the colorful market, where you can buy beautiful handicrafts. San Cristóbal has a diverse restaurant scene with something for everyone. You should also try the chocolate from Chiapas and the highland coffee. For the night owls among you, there are many laid-back bars with live music and various small clubs. San Cristóbal magically attracts backpackers from all over the world, which is why there is a wide variety of exceptional hostels. A great opportunity for a volunteer project in one of the hostels. There are also many interesting NGOs based in the region.
You should definitely not miss a visit to the Casa Na Bolom museum. Culture and nature lovers will get their money's worth here. The home of the Danish-Swiss couple Blom houses an exhibition about their Mayan research, to which they dedicated most of their lives.
You don't need any special qualifications for the program, but you should love children, be helpful, enjoy being around lots of people and have a good basic knowledge of Spanish. You should enjoy working with children and young people and have the motivation to make a lasting difference to the children's lives. Be aware that the children come from poor backgrounds and have sometimes experienced very bad things. Openness to new cultures and a different way of life is also particularly important. Living in a foreign country always requires a certain willingness to adapt, which will be very rewarding for your development.
You should also have a certain degree of independence and self-confidence, as you will be teaching the children on your own. The children will see you as a teacher and you should be happy to take on this role.
Die Landessprache in Mexiko ist Spanisch. Die Kinder im Waisenhaus lernen zwar Englisch, sprechen es aber nicht flüssig. Daher ist es Voraussetzung, dass du bereits gute Grundkenntnisse in Spanisch mitbringst, um mit den Kids sprechen zu können. Dein Spanisch muss nicht perfekt sein und du wirst es vor Ort kinderleicht verbessern. Allerdings solltest du dir in der Sprache so sicher sein, um eine Unterhaltung zu führen und einfache Sachen beim Unterrichten auf Spanisch erklären zu können. Von den Mitarbeitern des Projekts spricht eine Ansprechperson Englisch.
Solltest du vor Programmbeginn noch keine ausreichenden Kenntnisse haben, empfehlen wir dir einen Sprachkurs zu Beginn der Reise zu besuchen, den wir gerne für dich organisieren, oder an einem anderen Projekt teilzunehmen, bei welchem du deine Kenntnisse vertiefen kannst. Wir arbeiten mit einer hervorragenden Sprachschule zusammen, in der du vor Programmbeginn oder begleitend einen Sprachkurs besuchen kannst. Deine Sprachkenntnisse werden sich aber auch vor Ort spielerisch verbessern.
You live together with other volunteers in the Volunteer house in the center of San Cristóbal. In the house you share a shared room with bunk beds, the bathroom and the kitchen. The house offers space for up to 12 people. You can prepare your own meals every day in the communal kitchen. The volunteers often cook together. The volunteers themselves are responsible for the household. Once a week there is a cleaning day where everyone helps to tidy up and clean. Volunteers from many countries around the world live in the accommodation. They take part in various volunteer projects in San Cristóbal.
The house is furnished very typically for the country and the standard is not comparable with Germany.
Das Waisenhaus liegt am Stadtrand, dorthin kannst du mit dem öffentlichen Bus für ca. 1 Euro pro Tag fahren.
In Playa del Carmen lives our contact person Doris. She is originally from Germany but found her chosen home 2 years ago along the Riviera Maya. There, she works as a tour guide and can provide you with excellent travel tips and leisure activities in Mexico. In her free time, she passionately dives and is well-versed in the underwater world. During the orientation event in Playa del Carmen, she will gladly welcome you and acquaint you with the area.
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